The Mind Trick That Boosts Your Mood

Down in the dumps? Use this memory technique to recall happier moments

The Mind Trick That Boosts Your MoodDown in the dumps? Use this memory technique to recall happier moments

When you’re battling depression or feeling seriously bummed, it’s tough to recall happier moments from your past—tough, but not impossible. The key to looking on the bright side: Using the ‘method-of-loci’ memory strategy, where you train yourself to associate common objects with happy, detailed thoughts, according to a study published in the journal Clinical Psychological Science.

“People with depression have trouble bringing back memories that are positive in tone with self-affirming qualities,” says Tim Dalgleish, Ph.D., the director of the Cambridge Center for Affective Disorders and the lead author of the study. “This strategy gives them the option to remember the sorts of things they’d like to be able to remember to counteract how they’re feeling.”

The trick to this mind technique is training your brain to pair random objects you see daily–like a building or tree on your commute to work–with thoughts loaded with happy, detailed emotions. So, for instance: Every time you use your car, look at the steering wheel and think of a vacation you took that left you feeling invigorated and totally joyful. The more senses and details you can conjure, the better—so look at the steering wheel and think of the smell of the ocean, and the feeling of the breeze against your skin, and how happy you were to be there with the people you loved. The object and happy memories don’t have to be related (what does a steering wheel have to do with a beach vacation, anyway?), but you should bump into these items regularly. That way, you ultimately get to a point where you remember the happy moments just by seeing the object, and you don’t have to force yourself to be optimistic when you’re feeling anything but.

For other tips about how to pull yourself out of an emotional funk–and start smiling–read more about dealing with depression: